KLLF Files Source of Income Discrimination Lawsuit on Behalf of the Fair Housing Justice Center

KLLF has filed a civil rights lawsuit on behalf of the Fair Housing Justice Center, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring that all people have equal access to housing opportunities in the New York City region by eliminating housing discrimination and creating open and inclusive communities. The lawsuit alleges that Beaudoin Realty Group and Westleigh Co. LLC discriminated against prospective tenants based on their use of “Section 8” housing assistance, vouchers that provide rent subsidies to over 80,000 low-income New Yorkers.

The lawsuit stems from facts the FHJC uncovered when it investigated an apartment building in Jackson Heights, Queens. FHJC instructed undercover “testers”—actors posing as ordinary renters—to investigate the apartment, which is owned by Westleigh Co., and was listed by Beaudoin Realty. The lawsuit alleges that FHJC’s investigation revealed that agents repeatedly rebuffed FHJC’s testers who said they would use Section 8 rental assistance, refusing to schedule viewings and repeatedly insisting that they had no idea whether the building could accept Section 8 assistance. In contrast, the lawsuit alleges, defendants actively encouraged FHJC’s testers who said their income came solely from employment, scheduling viewings, responding to emails and texts, and pushing them to submit applications for the unit.

The lawsuit alleges that these actions are prohibited by the State and City Human Rights Laws, which prohibit discrimination based on “lawful source of income,” meaning landlords, realtors, and brokers cannot refuse to rent to New Yorkers who use (or will use) housing assistance vouchers to pay rent.

FHJC is represented by KLLF’s Ali Frick and Adam Strychaluk. You can read the complaint here, and you can read more about FHJC’s excellent work here.